Sunshine and Rain

Chapter Three: Shalimar's Climate

Shalimar's
axis is perpendicular to the plane of its orbit, so the planet
has no seasons. The equatorial region is very warm, and temperatures
range between 80 and 100 degrees fahrenheit. Humidity is also
very high. Mornings begin clear and sunny, but evaporating water
causes cloud buildup during the day, and showers follow in the
late afternoon. In the areas where the ocean is shallow, the water
is warm, and may be about 80 degrees. This warm water maintains
the temperature during the night, so that there is little fluctuation
between night and day. Temperatures are lower at higher elevations.

Further from the equator, the temperature
is more pleasant for humans, fluctuating between 60 and 80 degrees
fahrenheit. Unfortunately (from our perspective) most of the land
area is not in this zone. Here the humidity is also high, and
afternoon rainstorms are common.

To
the north and south of this zone lies a region where temperatures
vary from 40 to 60 degrees. This coolness is the result of the
region receiving less intense solar radiation than the equatorial
zone. It is also often overcast: warm, moisture-laden air rises
from the oceans, drawing cooler air from this region. The warm
air then flows away from the equator, and the water condenses
into clouds above the cooler water as it flows away from the equator.

Toward the poles, temperatures drop below
freezing. In the light blue areas ice may melt during the day:
the darker blue north pole has a permanent cap of ice.

The conditions described are the normal
conditions on Shalimar. However, meteor impacts sometimes impose
other conditions. While most cosmic particles are very small and
cause no damage, much larger masses may strike the planet with
enormous force. Massive strikes may hurl dust into the air, or
cause fires and perhaps even volcanic eruptions that fill the
air with dust and soot. Air borne particles may blot out heat
from the sun and cause temperatures to fall. There is no way of
predicting when these changes may occur.